What are the strongest summons?

Vine Ogre

HP 53 (Size 3)
Str 18
Prot 5
Att 12 (11, 11)
Mor 50
Def 3
MR 5
Pre 0
Enc 0
Move 2/12

Fist/Fist.

For 1 Nature Gem that is very nice. A decent attack skill isn't needed; as the fact he has 18 strength with 2 attacks (fist/fist) so he'll miss semi-often but when he does it will punch through armor/protection. Most Size 3 creatures, get swarmed by smaller units, so they are going to have a lower defense regardless, and I consider the 3 just a 'wth', sort of thrown in there, but it doesn't do anything and might as well be 0 for all the usefulness it provides. Their true weakness is against magic, I doubt a Vine Ogre could resist anything thrown at them, and I mean ANYTHING in all seriousness. That's just another 'wth' statistic.

Vine Ogres are great for smashing a flank or cavalry or Size 3 Things that try to trample, or just a wall of time. 53 HP takes some beat'n to get through so noone can use land units to rush through a core or flank to beat to archers or whatever you are protecting.

The primary issue with Vine Ogres is their "It requires a good mage, to cast who'd rather be out bust'n heads" and to be really cost effective it requires a mage with a few gems invested in him with some items to make it work.

I don't think I've ever summoned any vine creature (Ogre or man) with a Pretender (even the Druid), simply because they are so expendable.

Maybe if they add a synergetic "Bloom" or "Blossom" spell to some school that gives them perma-sleeptouch or a Sleep Cloud Aura (or allergies ) or "Burgeoning" that acts like the Pangaea Carrion Woods Unholy spells, that give Regeneration, MR, Protection, whatever I would consider it more of an investment and less of fodder.

OR a higher end Vine Creature like a Vine Thicket or Thicket Ogre or something. Maybe others use the druid's special ability and I am just not one of them; but he in my book, is only useful for stealth.

[ December 14, 2003, 12:03: Message edited by: Zen ]